Former cabinet ministers to mediate and seek compromises regarding the Malmbanan railway
The Ore Railway is a bottleneck not only for Norrbotten's green transition, but for the entire Swedish economy. While waiting for increased capacity, new solutions must be sought. Now Region Norrbotten is entering into a collaboration with Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd, CEO of the Swedish Construction Companies and former Minister of Infrastructure.
The congestion on the tracks and the vulnerability of the Ore Railway threaten the county's development, growth and attractiveness. There are no alternative modes of transport for heavy goods. The Ore Railway is also needed for lighter goods, mail, groceries and important passenger traffic. The lack of capacity is a major problem here and now, while the necessary investments are several years away.
Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd will hold discussions with all stakeholders who use the Malmbanan, as the solutions require an interaction between needs and understanding. The goal is first to get the most out of today's Malmbanan, then an effective capacity expansion where many people work together. Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd's previous experiences and holistic view will be a valuable part of this.
For a better understanding of the entire route, from the port of Narvik to the port of Luleå, Region Norrbotten plans to conduct a survey, analysis and report.
“Help untie knots”
– For too long, the Malmbanan has been patched up and repaired a little here and there. But the transport infrastructure is a coherent system and needs to be managed as such. We hope that Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd will be able to help untangle some knots, seek compromises and propose solutions, says Janus Brandin, Regional Development Director.
The Norrbotten Region, under the leadership of Elmsäter-Svärd, will work on issues related to prioritizing traffic types. There must be understanding here and solutions must be sought for the freight and passenger traffic that operates on the Malmbanan. How do we solve the problems of overbooking – that companies book more train paths than they actually use? How can we achieve increased flexibility so that canceled train paths can be used by others? Elmsäter-Svärd will have an important role in mediating between different interests. The goal is that available capacity is used both efficiently and fairly.
“Taking responsibility for the situation”
– Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd was a key person as Minister of Infrastructure in the 2010s and has a good reputation among the parties concerned. She can now start to dialogue and find the balance between freight and passenger traffic, and look at overbooking and overall responsibility with new eyes. With this decision, Region Norrbotten takes responsibility for the situation that has arisen with competition for capacity, says Anders Öberg (S), chairman of the regional board.
The Norrbotten Region's initiative has been widely supported by stakeholders prior to the collaboration. The initiative is welcomed as a constructive way to try to resolve the bottlenecks that exist on the Malmbanan railway.
– The Ore Railway, actually the entire stretch from port to port, is an important part of Swedish infrastructure. Sweden's competitiveness and the business community's need for exports and imports should not depend on a fragile track. In the international situation Sweden finds itself in today, not least as a NATO member, the function of the Ore Railway will be even more significant. Both today and tomorrow. It is a work I am happy to contribute to, says Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd.
Contact
Janus Brandin
Regional Development Director
Tel: 0920-71098
janus.brandin@norrbotten.se
Anders Öberg (S)
Chairman of the Regional Board
Phone: 070- 609 35 63
anders.oberg@norrbotten.se
Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd
CEO of Construction Companies
Tel: 0727432895
